SCENE & HERD: Alan Fields has made lasting contributions to town

Wednesday

Alan Fields says his involvement with the many funds he has guided in town began with coincidences and has led to “incredibly satisfying experiences. I have gotten to do good things.”

Fields will be honored for his ongoing contributions to Lexington on Nov. 24 from 2-4 p.m. at the Community Center organized by the organizations he helps: The Fund for Lexington, the town’s retirement board, Trustees of Public Trusts, Josiah S. Hayden Recreation Center and Cary Memorial Library board of trustees.

But that’s not all the organizations to which he has contributed. He was a founding member of the Lexington Education Fund and active in Temple Emunah. He is a former member of Wellesley College’s investment committee. He serves on the donor advisory committee of Boston’s Combined Jewish Philanthropies, his alma mater the University of North Carolina’s Board of Visitors and the board of the Carolina Center for Jewish Studies. (He holds a bachelor's degree in history and an MBA in finance.)

When he and his wife Gail first moved to Lexington in 1974, he worked for John P. Chase Investments. Chase was the lawyer for Josiah Hayden and had just created the recreation center’s endowment. He asked Fields to go on the committee overseeing the endowment. Fields was soon asked to be on the board and his served ever since.

“Most people don’t realize Hayden is completely privately endowed. We’re about to begin our third major renovation since I’ve been on the board,” he said proudly. “We’ve never asked the town for money. The endowment has funded it all and that is tremendously satisfying.”

“The town has changed and so its needs have changed over the years, so Hayden’s programs have changed. When I first was involved we had separate pools for males and females. We’ve added preschool programs, for example. Of course, the ice skating rink is still important.”

“Hayden gives $35,000 in scholarships each year based on the students’ need and merit. I’ve followed the recipients’ progress over the years — their success is the pay back for me.”

“I always appreciated politics and town government. Gail was involved in the League of Women Voters and PTA. She urged me to get involved. I got involved in Temple Emunah and chaired its school committee.”

Other involvements grew from friends-of-friends telling Norman and Linda Cohen that the Fields were moving to Lexington. As the moving van pulled away, the Cohens walked up the drive. They became friends and Norman soon had Alan on the Trustees for Public Trust.

The trust began more than 100 years ago. Originally donations to the town were comingled with other town money — as was done in all towns at the time. Lexington was one of the first town’s to get the Massachusetts legislature’s approval to establish a separate fund. “It’s one of the few endowment funds with the goal of spending money rather than raising money. Most are dedicated funds — scholarships in honor of young people killed in car accidents for example — very little is unrestricted.”

The need for more unrestricted funds led the town to establish the Alan S. Fields Community Enrichment Fund as part of the town’s public trust in his honor. Tax-deductible contributions, payable to the town of Lexington, can be sent to the Board of Selectmen, Town Hall, 1625 Massachusetts Ave., with the Enrichment Fund in the memo line.

The Public Trust provided $10,000 in seed money to establish Lexington Education Foundation at a time when Lexington was closing schools and had tight education budgets. Alan became a co-founder.

Gail led human services at Emerson Hospital at the time. To raise financial support for her program, the hospital staged a dinner featuring outstanding area chefs. Since Alan and Gail have always operated as a team, Alan suggested a chefs’ dinner as LEFs first fundraiser. Today LEF is well established with well established fundraising events, Fields pointed out with satisfaction.

He is equally enthused that the trust was able to provide seed money for the town’s human services fund providing assistance to residents who need help with heat and utilities.

“It feels good to have helped establish something that benefits the entire community,” he said.

Similarly, the Fund for Lexington, also part of the public trust, began with a $35,000 donation. It can be used for beautification and cultural activities with Lexington. Gail and Alan suggested the flower barrels along Mass. Ave. The fund provided seed money to establish the Lexington Symphony, the tourist trolley and the William Diamond Jr. Fife and Drum Corps, all now mainstays of the community.

“I love it because our job is to spend the fund’s money,” he enthused.

“One thing leads to another,” he added and he joined the town’s retirement board. “Most towns fund about 50 per cent of its pension obligations. We are at 90 per cent. Lexington is one of the few towns in the state with a AAA rating,” he proudly said.

Alan served on Wellesley College’s investment committee for 10 years. “I’m a strong advocate for women’s education. Women are smarter than men and out-perform them academically until they get to the age when all that social stuff comes out. But the women who go to women’s colleges continue to speak out,” he stated.

He’s also a strong advocate of libraries. Gail has a special relationship with libraries because her mother always was involved with the local library and told Gail libraries are “for the children.” Her mother integrated the library in Williamston, SC, so it’s not surprising that Alan is the treasurer of the Cary Library Foundation.

Fields credits Bill Dailey with establishing the library’s foundation. “The library needed money to expand. We developed a state/fed/private funding-raising proposal. We raised $4 million from our citizens. No other town had raised that much at that time,” he pointed out.

“We couldn’t do any of this without the generosity of the people within Lexington. I’ve learned a lot about this town over the years, and considering the world we live in today, what a wonderful town it is.”

“I remember when I was in my 40s; my greatest fear was what I would do when I retired. I thought being involved in all these funds would give me something to do,” he said laughingly. “I’m now 79 and still working - but also still involved.”

“I really enjoy public service.”

Scenes

Friends of the Library Gently Used Book Sale runs 1-5 p.m. Nov. 16 and 9-10 a.m. Nov. 17 for members only and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 17 and 1-5 p.m. Nov. 18

The Wallflowers, a big part of the mid-90s revival of roots-rock, come to Cary Hall Nov. 30 at 8 p.m. sponsored by Spectacle Management. ($59-$79)

Lexingtonian Martha Crosier Wood is a regular contributor to the Lexington Minuteman. Contact Wood at marthacwood@rcn.com.